“I know from experience that beneath every peripheral girl is a central truth. She’s hiding hers away, but at the same time she wants me to see it.”

“I find it hard to look at her. I know from experience that beneath every peripheral girlis a central truth.”

“She was this girl I once knew. Took my breath away, she was so pretty. Took my heart, if you want to know the truth. I was kind of angry about it at the time.”

“I’ll wait for however long it takesbecause I know she’s afraid that if sheallows herself to be totally happy, it willbe taken away from her again. She needsto know that I’m not going anywhere. I cantell her all I want, but she needs to feel it.”

“I don’t want her falling in love with me as a voice on the phone while at the same time she’s try­ing to ditch me as a re­al per­son.”

“She still blames herself. I always knew she did, and hoped time would cure her of that, but I can see, without having even spoken to her, that she still carries the weight. There’s darkness in this girl now. I almost don’t want to get involved. She’ll hurt me. I know this. I can see it, feel it coming. She’s got so much pain, so many cracks and shards and jags in her soul, and I’m going to get cut by her if I’m not careful. I can’t fix her. I know this, too. I’m not going to try. I’ve had too many goody-goody girls hook up with me, thinking they can fix me.”